Police violate the law, dereliction of duty for guards at the faculty

11/01/2019 - 18:10

The persistence among students at the Faculty of Economics and Law has brought about new clashes and physical confrontations with private police and security guards.

As seen in the viral video, students are violated by private police officers while in breach of the law on the grounds of the university.

Students claim violence and pressure have been deployed against them in order to stop their right to protest.

The intervention of private Police on the premises of the university is done in violation of the Law on Higher Education, according to article 5, section 80 in 2015, which provides that:

The intervention of the Organs of Public Order in the academic environment is to be permissible with the request or permission of the Head of the Institution of Higher Education.

Only in the case of committing a flagrant offense, or in the case of a natural disaster and/or emergency situation, the Bodies of Public Order retain the right to interfere even without the permission from the Head of the Institution of Higher Education.

The law clearly states that "the infringement upon the inviolability of Institutions of Higher Education shall be penalized according to the legislation by force.

Effective private police who guard the premises of the Faculty of Economics during the late night hours entered the auditoriums where the students were enclosed and removed the tables and desks with which they had blocked the doors.

The presence of State Police Forces at the University of Economics was not in violation of the law. Their presence was requested by the Dean himself.

The University of Tirana has published a letter dated January 10, 2019, outlining Protocol number 120, where administrator Skerdi Dafa, requested the state Police to establish order and guarantee security within the auditorium.

On paper, the University of Tirana's administrator says that the recent situation is causing abnormalities in the learning process, affecting the order and security for all students and academic staff.

This is the reason why he urges state Police to take action and maintain their presence at the institution due to the fact that lessons have resumed but many faculties have had their entrances blocked, deterring students from entering their classrooms.

However, it also seems that this letter addressed to the state Police does not justify the presence of private guards nor their alleged violent interferences.